


Water and Blood: Chosen Paths

by CrystalRoza19, Yami_Sama



Series: Water & Blood [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Dark Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya Mentors Sasuke, Multi, Orochimaru Mentors Naruto, Saviour Uchiha Sasuke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-09 22:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7819876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalRoza19/pseuds/CrystalRoza19, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yami_Sama/pseuds/Yami_Sama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes one death can change everything. Iruka's death sends Naruto on a downward spiral into darkness while the bonds of friendship begin to heal Sasuke's broken heart and Sakura learns what it means to really love someone and how important her friends are to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue – The End of the Beginning

It was late into the night when Naruto stood up from his bed with determination. Gazing around his apartment one last time, his eyes landed on the picture frame that held the picture of Team 7. He walked over and picked it up, staring silently at the image within it for a few minutes. He remembered that day; they were up to their usual antics- mainly bickering between themselves as he and Sasuke glared their rivalry, with Kakashi playing peace-maker as Sakura beamed up at the camera. It was their normal. It was fun. It was something that Naruto had come to deeply value before one devastating argument had ripped it all away.

" _We're not friends! Friendship is a useless bond that will only hinder my goal. You mean_ nothing _to me…"_ With a wince, Naruto closed his mind to the memory, and let his eyes harden. Whatever nostalgia he had for the photo vanished, and he chucked it to the floor, not bothering to look where it landed.

He hefted his pack over his shoulder, and strode out, leaving the door unlocked. He no longer had any feelings towards the place that once housed him for 12 years- so he could care less if it got ransacked. He had a new home in mind.

If Sasuke wanted to throw their bond away for revenge, then Naruto could do the same for power.

**XxX**

The moon shone down brightly, casting light shadows on the path leading out of the Village. Cicadas chirped, and leaves blew strongly in the wind as a single set of footsteps rang out, steadily approaching a single bench, where a silent figure sat waiting. It stood, and Naruto narrowed his eyes at seeing Sakura, noting the barely concealed sadness hidden away in her gaze.

"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here so late at night? It's dangerous, you know." He said casually, forcing a cheerful smile as she trotted up to meet him. He wanted to be done with conversation quickly- because while he knew that people will soon find out that he had left, he had hoped that he would be long gone by the time that happened.

"In order to leave this village, you have to take this road" Sakura began. And just like that, Naruto's smile dropped. It seems like he wouldn't be able to avoid the confrontation, after all. Sakura saw his sudden serious expression, and she wanted to be sick. It was true; he really was going to… "Naruto, please… don't do this. You don't need to go to Orichimaru," she begged. Her hands clenched. "Sasuke's an idiot!" At her abrupt statement, Naruto startled. Sakura almost never insulted their other, dark-haired teammate. He was shocked into silence.

She continued. "I mean, he's always like that!" She gave a trembling laugh,"So we don't need him. Who cares if he accepts us or not? As long as we have each other, we don't need anyone else." Sakura stepped towards him, and finally Naruto unfroze. He couldn't let her go on; he realized Sakura loved Sasuke, and while her words made feel a rush of warmth, he knew that they were untrue. She shouldn't have to force herself to lie. At least, not for him.

Besides…

"Sakura… this isn't just about Sasuke," he admitted quietly, "There are other things going on in my life that you just wouldn't understand. I'm-"

"The Nine-Tails host, I know." She interrupted, grabbing hold of his hand. For the second time that night, Naruto felt his eyes widen in blatant shock. Upon seeing the blonde-haired boy's confusion, Sakura smiled gently and explained: "Ino and I figured it out a short time ago. But Naruto… " She sobered, looking at him in desperation. "You've got to know that this doesn't change anything, right? Even knowing about the Kyūbi, it doesn't make a difference to me. You're still Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha's knuckle-head ninja, and that's what I love most about you!" She finished brightly, hoping he would take her speech to heart. His head was lowered, and his gaze shadowed, and she couldn't see his reaction.

So when Naruto interlocked their fingers and pulled her closer with a small smile, she thought nothing of it. Until his friendly expression morphed into a small frown, and he began to look troubled.

"What do you want from me, Sakura?" Naruto spoke, frustrated,"Saying all this now… I've confessed my love to you countless time, and you've never taken any notice of me, nor have you treated me any differently. In fact, at times it's like you've barely tolerated me. So what the hell do you want from me," he almost growled, his grip on Sakura's hand tightening painfully. She gritted her teeth, then faced him dead-on.

"I love you." She swallowed nervously at his sharp inhale. "And it's not the same as the love I thought I felt for Sasuke, either. It's real this time. It's true that in the beginning I didn't feel this way, but as I watched you and came to know you and understand you better, I really came to love you."

"You're funny, honest, kind and caring and you always put others before yourself. And you never hesitate to put yourself in harm's way if it means protecting something precious to you..." Sakura paused. As she confessed, Naruto's grip on her hand did not loosen, and grew ever tighter. She was beginning to lose all sensation in her fingers and knew that they would bruise. But she didn't stop. "I've realised it now; that I love all of that and more about you, and if you left, I-I don't know what I'd do. Because without you... there would be a hole in my heart that nothing could ever fill. Even with our friends and my parents, without you Naruto, I'd feel alone." With her feelings now out in the open, she waited anxiously for his reaction. She didn't have to wait long.

Barely two seconds passed before Naruto dropped her hands and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck and smiling when he felt her arms come up to hold him.

"Thank you, Sakura…" he said softly, pulling back slightly to caress her face.

"Naruto…" She beamed up at him, clearly thinking she'd gotten through to him as they gazed into each other's eyes. So it must have come as a shock to her when she felt his hand that had been wrapped around her hit the point between her neck and shoulder, causing her to lose consciousness.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said, catching her before she could hit the ground. He carried her bridal-style over to the single stone bench and laid her down gently, before shrugging off his backpack and removing his jacket to place it over her.

"I have to do this, Sakura. I can't stay here with people who lie to me, and treat me like I'm an inhuman monster; I have to find a place where I can just be me." He murmured, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear, and staring at her face for what may be the last time. "I love you too, but I have to do this… for me." With that, he leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her temple before picking his backpack up and continuing on his journey.

He never looked back.

**XxX**

Morning came way too early in Sasuke's not-so-humble opinion. He'd been awake most of the night mulling over what Kakashi-Sensei had said to him the day before, and trying to figure out how to apologize to his teammates. All the things he'd said to Naruto and Sakura, he honestly didn't mean any of it. He cared about both of them deeply-he'd just been upset about seeing Itachi again after so many years. He had no right to take it out on them.

With a loud sigh Sasuke pushed his quilt covers off and sat up, stretching. He happened to glance over at the photo of team 7 that sat on his night stand and saw Sakura's smiling face, Naruto's glare-pout, Kakashi-Sensei's vaguely serene smile, and his usual scowl. He picked up the picture frame and ran his hand over the still figures in it.

' _What is wrong with me? Why do I keep trying to push everyone away… would it really be that bad to have people in my life who actually care about me? People, who I also care about and want to protect,_ ' he thought. Yeah, he really had to apologize. He wanted them to know his true feelings; that now he would never hesitate to call them his friends and how he would always put them first... He no longer wanted revenge. Kakashi made him see it just wasn't worth it; at least, not in the long run. True strength was overcoming his hate, not giving in to it. It wasn't weakness to value friendship and love, and now that he realised that, he wanted correct his horrible mistake and show Naruto he cared, after all. Just as Sasuke was giving himself an inner pep talk he heard someone knock on his door. Huffing to himself, he placed the picture frame back and got up to answer the door.

"What do you want?" Sasuke said grumpily, as he opened the door to see Shikamaru Nara standing on his porch, his eyes frosting slightly as they landed on Sasuke

" _Hello_  to you too," Shikamaru drawled sarcastically, "Get dressed. The Hokage wants you in her office now." Giving one of his usual sounds of distain, he headed back towards his room to quickly change. "I thought you were promoted to Chunnin, not messenger boy, Nara. Does the Hokage not have anything better for you to do then collect people for her?" Sasuke taunted, followed through his house by the other boy.

"Out of curiosity, do you have it in you to be nice to anyone for even a moment? I don't know how your team puts up with your attitude." Shikamaru bit back, his glare intensifying. Sasuke had no response. Shikamaru didn't know how close he hit home with that statement even if it just was what he'd been thinking before.

"Sorry... I'll be out in a minute. Just wait here." His scowl replaced with confusion, Shikamaru stood outside what he assumed was Sasuke's bedroom and waited for him to get dressed.

When the door opened, Sasuke stepped out and Shikamaru kicked off the wall where he'd been leaning. "So why dose the Hokage want me?" Sasuke asked, locking up his house

"Naruto." Was all Shikamaru said as he began making his way back out of the Uchiha compound.

Sasuke's gut twisted nervously as he caught up to Shikamaru and walked beside him _. It will be fine_ , he told himself,  _Naruto's probably just been his usual self and caused trouble again._

That had to be all, right?

**XxX**

As Sasuke walked into the Hokage's office just behind Shikamaru, the first thing he noticed aside from the small group of his classmates was Sakura standing off to the side sobbing into a familiar Orange jacket, "Sakura?" Sasuke called out quietly, running over to her.

She tensed at his voice, turning to face him. The grief-stricken expression shifted quickly to rage, and faster than the eye could follow, she punched Sasuke in the face, sending him impacting into the wall on the other side of the room. It instantly cracked, forming a Sasuke-shaped crater. The pink haired girl stalked over to him as he attempted to get up, and with one more right-cross, he was straight back down again. She threw herself on top of him, punching and slapping him as he disorientedly tried to block her attacks.

"It's your fault!" She screamed, her face twisted in anger. The others in the room simply gawked in shock, unable to uncomprehend what they were seeing. Sakura had never so much as looked at Sasuke with anything other than admiration- so to witness her strike him with such violence was a humbling experience to all. It was a grim reminder to never underestimate her, "It's all your fault Naruto's gone..!"

At the mention of Naruto's name, Shikamaru and Choji snapped of their daze, rushing over to break them apart, "Alright, come on Sakura, let him up… we don't have time for this if were gonna save Naruto" Choji lightly admonished, lifting the thrashing girl off Sasuke. Shikamaru immediately began to do what he could to heal the boy's face with his mediocre medical ninjutsu skills.

Once he could sit up on his own again Sasuke pushed away from Shikamaru and looked to Tsunade, "What happened to Naruto? Why does he need saving and what does it have to do with me?" Tsunade was looked contemplatively at the young Uchiha, thinking about how to word her answer.

With a loud sigh Tsunade began to explain the situation to the group gathered in her office, "Last night Naruto left the village; from what he said to Sakura before leaving we believe he's gone to Orochimaru." She looked around gravely, taking in the shock on everyone's faces. The Naruto they all knew would never just abandon their Village. The guy was always like a ball of sunshine; nothing anyone ever said or did could ever dim his resolve, or his smile.

"Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Neji and Sasuke! The five of you are assigned the task of bringing Naruto home! That is why I've had you gathered here today. Shikamaru will be leading this Mission- you have half an hour to gather anything you may need for this mission. Dismissed." Four of the six young ninja bowed respectfully to Tsunade before quickly heading out of the Hokage's office to prepare for their mission, leaving only Sasuke and Sakura alone with the Hokage.

Sasuke looked over to Sakura again, he wanted to say something… something to comfort her or give her hope the same way Naruto usually did when she was upset. He didn't like to admit it, even to himself, but he hated seeing his teammate distressed. "Sakura I-" Sasuke began, but cut himself off at the look of absolute loathing in Sakura's eyes.

"Sasuke. If you don't fix this and bring Naruto home to us... I'll never forgive you!" She said harshly, pushing past him to stride out the door.

**XxX**

Half an hour later the mismatched team were standing just within the boundaries of the Village gate with Sakura and Lee waiting for Shikamaru to let them know when to leave, just when Kiba was getting ready to start yelling Shikamaru looked up at his team, "Right I'm not very good with words of motivation or anything like that so I'm just gonna say one thing… Naruto is my friend and he is a member of the Hidden Leaf Village, more than that he's our comrade. At one time or another Naruto has been there for everyone here, whether he was standing by your side in battle watching your back or he was fighting to make you see what's right, ether way he never gave up! It's time that we show him what that means to us, that he's important to us!"

Shikamaru then proceeded to explain his strategy to the group, though Sasuke's attention was split between listening and watching Sakura as she stood close by Lee, gazing at the small group with rapt attention.

"Right, time to go," Shikamaru commanded, heading through the gates with his team following behind. Sasuke made to follow, but paused for a moment, glancing back at Sakura with determination in his dark eyes "Sakura, please don't worry… I'm going to do everything in my power to bring Naruto home. So just have faith in me one last time, I'll bet my life on that promise!" He gave her a rare smile and a thumbs up.

Once Sasuke had caught up with the others Sakura let out the breath she's been holding in since Sasuke had said her name "Don't worry Sakura-chan! Sasuke-kun will definitely succeed! He promised it with a good guy pose, so he can't possible fail!" Lee said firmly.

"Yeah… Thanks Lee" Sakura whispered and gave Lee a sad smile.


	2. Chapter One – Classroom Encounters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We now go back to the beginning, back to where our story begins…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by Scarlett Rose 
> 
> [Warnings] Character Death, Panic Attacks & Early stages or grief

_-‘The blood of the covenant runs thicker than the waters of the womb’._

 

Naruto sat in the hospital sitting area, picking red out of his fingernails as he waited for any news on Iruka Sensei’s condition; the forehead protector he’d been given sitting uselessly beside him as he glared at the chips of blood flacking on the ground beneath him. The medics had been working on Iruka for hours and there was still no word. Naruto hoped that meant things were okay _. ‘Iruka-Sensei had been talking before they took him to surgery, so that has to be a good sign… right?'_ He thought optimistically, determined to think the best about the current situation. After all, his teacher had always been there for him. He wouldn’t leave him now.

It was another hour later when the Third Hokage came to speak to him about the events for the night, inquiring about everything that happened with the scroll and Mizuki, and Naruto monotony relayed all he could about the incident. He’d still yet to completely process the events himself… and he was sure he had gone into shock right after he realised he’d killed Mizuki. Just as the Third was about to ask Naruto if he wanted him to walk him home, a medic came out of O.R and started walking towards them, a sombre look upon his face. The young, newly made Ninja watched him approach with a sinking feeling slowly forming in his gut, knowing that such a grim expression couldn’t be good.

“I’m so very sorry,” he began, and Naruto’s whole world just stopped. The boy stood still, unable to move as the horror of the medic’s words imprinted themselves in his mind. “We did everything we could to save him, but the wound the patient sustained to his spine was too deep, and the damage irreversible. He’d lost too much blood before we could stabilise him… I’m so sorry, but Umino Iruka passed away a few moments ago…”

Naruto didn’t hear anymore. Falling to the floor, he struggled for breathe and clutched at his former sensei’s headband. ' _This can’t be happening... he couldn’t be dead!!!_ _There’s no way… he was talking to me just before, it has to be a lie… Iruka-sensei!!!’_

As the blonde boys panic attack continued to escalate, he was completely oblivious to the people rushing around him and the Third’s attempts to calm him down. Nobody could get through to him now, and nothing else mattered. Iruka was gone.

 **XXX**  

In the end, the medics wound up having to sedate Naruto to make him quiet down. He woke up the next morning in his apartment, his clothes still smelling of blood and death. Pushing his covers aside, he rushed to change, wanting to be as far away from the scent as possible. He couldn’t stand it.

After showering and getting dressed into his spare jumpsuit, Naruto numbly picked up his old one and threw it into a trash bag. There was no point in cleaning it; the blood stains would never totally go away. Not to mention he wanted as few reminders of the previous night as possible. The memories were enough. Putting on his goggles and slipping the headband Iruka-sensei gave him into his pocket Naruto headed out of his apartment, throwing the bag with his old clothes into a nearby trash can. Time to go to the Academy.

When Naruto reached the classroom, most of the students had already arrived. The only empty seats he spotted were next to Sasuke and Shikamaru, and since Ino and Choji always sat with Shikamaru, Naruto decided to just take the spot next to the emo. Better not cause a fight when he was already in a bad mood.

Sasuke glanced up when he sensed someone next to him quietly, doing a slight double-take when he saw that it Naruto. It was quite odd- usually Naruto would barge into the room, making enough noise to draw everyone’s attention to him. But before Sasuke could ponder the subject of Naruto’s silence any further, Shikamaru leaned over his desk and tapped said boy on the shoulder.

“Hey Naruto, I thought you failed the graduation test... How’d you get that forehead protector?” He asked, pointing to the blue fabric peeking out of his pocket.

“You want the long version or the short?” Naruto replied curtly, turning to face the other Genin with an impassive glare. “I’ll take the easy one” was all Shikamaru said, re-adjusting himself so that he was leaning more comfortably on his desk.

“Well, after the exam I stole a sacred forbidden scroll, learned a new Jutsu, killed Misuki-Sensei after he stabbed Iruka-Sensei and then Iruka-Sensei gave me his forehead protector and told me I graduated before he died,” he explained casually, the words all tumbling out of his mouth faster than he could really think about what he was saying. He knew that he probably shouldn’t be telling Shikamaru everything about the night before, but in that moment, he just didn’t care.

The other boy just sat there for a moment, looking at Naruto like he’d grown a second head “Okay, I now want the long version...” He said intently, sitting up in his seat. Naruto just rolled his eyes and turned back to face the front of the room.

The rest of the morning went relatively normally once Sakura and Ino loudly barged into the room, bickering as usual. Before long, a Chunnin representative came to the class and split them into their three man squads. Unbeknown to Naruto, Sasuke had spent the whole time staring at him out of the corner of his eye, after overhearing his brief conversation with Shikamaru.

**XXX**

Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura now made up Team 7.

The three Gennin all quietly and impatiently sat in the classroom, awaiting for their Jounin Sensei for over an hour after everyone else had already left with theirs. There were several loud huffs, and pointed looks towards the clock before Sakura finally spoke up.

“Were the hell is this guy? Shouldn’t he have been here by now?” She complained loudly, giving an exasperated sigh, “Do you thing he maybe got the date wrong or something?” she added as an afterthought.

“I doubt an elite Jounin wouldn’t be able to tell the date,” Sasuke replied, casting his gaze away from the classroom door to look at the pink haired girl disdainfully. Misinterpreting his expression, she just looked back at him in adoration, secretly thrilled he was paying attention to her.                    

“Well apparently an ‘Elite’ Jounin can’t tell the time, he’s over an hour late!” Naruto moaned. He kicked his legs in frustration, then crossed his arms, scowling deeply. At the interruption, Sakura broke off gazing at Sasuke and glared at the blond boy, her detest for him written clearly in her eyes,

“What do you know, maybe something came up!” she said scathingly.

“If something came up and he couldn’t make it, I’m sure that someone would have told us! Face it Sakura-chan- we got a dud teacher!” Naruto shot back.

They were so distracted by their argument they didn’t notice the door to the classroom open, “Hmm, my first impression of you three is… You’re all idiots.” All three turned instantly to see a tall man with silver-white hair and his headband and a mask covering half his face. After introducing himself as Kakashi, their Jounin instructor, he ordered the three of them to follow him up to the academy building’s roof top. It was time to see what their new team was truly like.

 “Alright, why don’t you all introduce yourselves and tell everyone a bit about you.”

With those words, Sakura cast a quick glance at both of her new teammates before turning back to Kakashi. “What do you mean, introduce ourselves?” she asked awkwardly.

“You know likes, dislikes, hobby’s, dreams for the future… things like that.” He told them.

“Why don’t you go first and show us how it’s done.” Naruto challenged, casting an almost bored look towards their teacher. Kakashi gazed at him thoughtfully for a moment. “Hmm, alright. My name is Hatake Kakashi. My likes and dislikes... Well, I don’t really feel like telling you that. My hobby’s… I have lots of hobbies. As for dreams for the future, I haven’t really thought about it,” he finished.

Sakura stared, a little dumbfounded for a moment.

“The only thing he really told us was his name. I’m beginning to agree with Naruto; maybe we got the dud,” she whispered to her two teammates, not getting much more than a vague grunt from Sasuke and a slight incline of the head that could have been a nod from Naruto as response.

“Alright, you on the left. Go first,” Kakashi alloted, nodding towards Sasuke.

“Tch... I’m Uchiha Sasuke. There aren’t many thinks I like, and a lot of this I don’t like. I don’t really have any hobbies outside of training, and… I wouldn’t call it a dream, more like an ambition, because I will make it a reality- I’m going to find out the truth about what happened to my clan five years ago, and then I’m going to kill a certain person.” He said gravely, his already prominent glare darkening further as he spoke.

 _‘I expected as much from him,_ Kakashi mused, ‘ _poor kid’s been through a lot, and he’s not making his future any easier for himself’_. Next, he turned to look at the pink haired girl in front of him. “You next” he said, gesturing towards her vaguely.

“I’m Haruno Sakura! I like… kyah! I mean, the person I like… My dream for the future… tehehe, things I don’t like- Naruto!” Sakura giggled, blushing madly and sighing like an immature child.

 _‘Not really surprising. Girls her age are more interested in boys than ninja training. ”_ And lastly, you on the right.”

Naruto sat up a little straighter and looked Kakashi straight in the eye.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto. I like instant ramen in a cup, and the ramen Iruka-sensei used to buy me at Ichiuraku. My hobbies are to try different types of ramen and compare them, but I really hate the three minutes you have to wait after pouring in the hot water. If you’d asked me what my dream for the future was a few days ago I would have said I wanted to become the next Hokage... so that people would stop disrespecting me and treating me like I’m a nobody… but now… I’m not really sure- I just don’t think the things I used to value are considered important to me anymore.”

Kakashi, too, sat up a little and gave Naruto a thoughtful look. This wasn’t the boy who used to pull pranks on the village for attention. He had changed, and most likely Iruka had caused it.

Iruka had been a good friend of Kakashi’s, and he remembered him bringing up Naruto’s antics on multiple occasions, so he knew the boy mattered to Iruka more then he liked to let on. But if you were as good as Kakashi at reading people, you could see it in his smile, hear it in his voice when he complained… and it seemed that Naruto had felt exactly the same about the recently deceased Shinobi. He was completely lost without him around anymore.

 _‘Heeh, I guess I have my work cut out for me with these three_ “ Right, now that we’ve all gotten to know each other a little, I’ll let you know that we’ll be having our first mission tomorrow.” At this, the three Gennin all looked up at the Sensei with rapt attention, excited that their first real mission as ninja’s was right around the corner.

“Meet me at training ground 7 at dawn. Oh, and don’t eat breakfast, or you’ll puke.” With that final warning. Kakashi vanished into a cloud of smoke, leaving his three very confused students to decipher his cryptic warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are interested i recommend you check out my Tumblr blog for this story, @ask-naruto-with-a-curse-mark for regular updates on the story, artwork and short fics for the extended W&B Universe 
> 
> I have two more chapters that have already been written that i will upload within the week, after that updates will continue at a much slower rate. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Kindest regards   
> -Yami and Scarlett


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